The End
by crystalquirt
Summary: written for the Three Delivery Club Contest on DA, the theme is 'the End.'
1. Chapter 1

The End

Sue found Tobey sitting alone in the garden. Not like he was meditating, but sitting more like a sack of onions sits in a field - slumped to one side and stinky.

Smiling, she sat down on the grass near him. "Hey Tobey, what's up?"

"It's not me."

"Why not? And phew! You're even slinkier than usual – I bet if you'd go get a shower you'd feel better."

"I already had a shower, the fish smell is lingering."

"Is that what that smell is? I thought you had a long-dead skunk soaked in vinegar in your shoe."

"Shut up, its not funny. I fell into a pile of old fish at the wharf."

"Well if I had seen it happen – I might have thought it was at least a little funny . . . but seriously Tobey - what happened?"

"I saw Kong Li a little before dark, or should I call him dad?"

"You should call him Kong Loser, just like you always have. He was never your dad. Nana has been mom and dad to all three of us since we were small. Where did you see him?"

"I saw him just after I made my first delivery. He called to me and tried to come near, saying he just wanted to talk. But I ran. He chased me for a while, calling to me to stop, but I just kept running. I was running away when I fell in the fish pile and I even left my bike behind because it was too close to where he was to try and get it."

"Tobey, its okay – you can just go back and get it now. If Barney has deliveries, Sid and I'll take 'em."

"I . . . I don't . . . Oh man! Sue, I'm afraid – I can't believe it – I've never been afraid to go out alone before! But I really don't want to run into him again."

"I understand I think – Kong Li is scary and after finding out well you know." Sue sat and looked at him for a moment to see if he would say anything. When he didn't, she continued, "Do you want me to take you to go get your bike? Or I can go get it for you. Where did you leave it?"

"You shouldn't go alone either! I gotta get it – right?"

"Right."

"It's near Drumm and Orchid. I hope Kong Li didn't notice it, but you can come with me if you want. We could stop for ice cream."

Tobey jumped up and held his hand down to pull Sue up, but even after she was up, she still held onto his hand. He smiled and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze just before he opened the garden gate for her to take her bike through. In the alley, she got on her bike and he stood behind her on the axle, as she pedaled down the alley toward the street.

As they went, Sue pulled her phone out and called Sid. He picked up right away, and she said, "Hey Sid."

"Hey Sue. What's up?"

"Tobey and I are heading to Drumm and Orchard. Where are you?"

"I'm near Orchid and Stockton, on my way back to Wu's."

"Kong Li may be out and about tonight, wanna meet us?"

"Kong Li? Um - sure, be right there, but . . ." Sid started to ask what made her think Kong Li was back, but she hung up.

Sue put her phone back in her pocket, "Feel better now Tobey?"

"Some . . . I guess."

"What's bothering you so much? Is this still about Kong Li saying that he's your father?"

"No . . . well yeah, that's part of it. But now he wants to talk to me alone. I'm sure he wants something from me again. And I'm afraid he will somehow convince me to betray you guys again – I regret so much about what happened – mostly about what I did to Nana."

"We've told you before Tobey, don't worry about it, any of us that situation would have done the same thing. If Kong Li said he could bring my mother back. I would have done whatever I could for the chance to see her or my dad again - and I'm sure Sid feels the same way."

"Well, it wasn't you guys - it was me who fell for Kong Li's lies and put you and all of Chinatown in danger."

"Tobey – but. . ." Sue started to argue, but Tobey exclaimed, "Look – there's my bike." He pointed over her shoulder. "It looks okay from here – I'm glad 'daddy' didn't take it or something."

"Tobey, stop calling him dad! Even if he was a sperm donor, he is not your 'dad'!"

"Yeah, okay Sue. Whatever." Tobey answered quickly and jumped down from Sue's bike. He ran enthusiastically as always to his bike, quickly bending over to unlock it. He was blinking back tears hoping she hadn't seen. Sue rode up right behind him and put her feet on the ground to wait until he was ready to ride.

As she watched him she saw he was keeping his head down and doing his best to keep his face turned away from her. She heard him sniffle as he started to put his leg over to sit on his bike and she knew he was really upset. Sue was involved in watching Tobey and Tobey was involved in trying not to cry in front of Sue, so they didn't see his bike dimly glow blue for an instant when Tobey touched a handlebar.

"Tobey! Wait," Sue stopped him. He stopped and took his hand off his bike, but didn't turn to face her so she took his arm and pulled him around. "Oh Tobey," she leaned down to see his face, "I hate to see you so upset."

Sue's kind words were too much, and Tobey couldn't fight back tears anymore. Sue pulled him close and hugged him. He weakly pushed back, "No . . . sniff . . ."

"It's okay Tobey - or it will be, you'll see." She hugged him tighter. He whispered in her ear, "Sue, if it even looks like –sniff- if it happens again . . . if it even seems like I might . . . just banish me okay?"

"Just banish you? What . . . Oh NO! Tobey we would never!" Sue pushed him back a little to see his eyes, but he had his eyes shut and turned his head away. Sue held on to each of his arms to be sure he stayed facing her, "Tobey- nothing's that bad- this will pass, you'll see, and we have to work together – we aren't going to . . . to abandon you – ever – not for any reason!" When she finished speaking, she grabbed Tobey forcibly and hugged him tightly as if it could keep her from ever losing him.

Tobey tried to push her away, but she was as upset and as strong as he was, maybe stronger so he gave up and hugged her back.

His best friends and his sister in a tight embrace, was how Sid found them when he rode up. "Boy – can't leave you two alone for a minute, can I?"

Sue held her hand up toward Sid, her hand behind Tobey's back. Sid stopped, "What's going on?"

Tobey pulled himself together and when he tried to pull away that time, Sue let him go. Tobey said, "Nothing Sid, nothing's going on, except I saw Kong Li earlier and Sue thought it might be a good idea to check around to see if he's up to something."

"Tob, are you sure it was Kong Li you saw? We haven't seen him since the festival – he's gone."

"No he's not SID, he chased me – I heard his voice. It was him, my dad!"

"Sorry Tobey, but wouldn't Nana have sensed it if he was up to something?"

"Not always Sid and I think it's good if we just take a look around."

"Okay - okay – I still think there's something going on with you two." Tobey had his helmet on and was already sitting on his bike. While his back was turned, Sue poked her brother, and whispered, "He needs to do this – Tobey was afraid to even leave Wu's to get his bike! He's still having a hard time – try at least to be sensitive to his feelings."

"Okay Sue, I understand. All you had to do was tell me. Do you really think he saw Kong Li?"

"He thinks he did, and that's what's important here."

"I hope his nightmares aren't coming true. He still wakes me up crying and yelling in his sleep at least a couple times a week."

Just then Tobey growled in frustration, he was standing with both feet on one pedal, "The chain won't turn – I can't even make it roll!"

"Is there something stuck in the spokes buddy?" Sid got off his bike and walked with Sue toward their friend. Tobey was angrily stomping on the pedal.

Sid and Sue were only a car-length away from him when Kong Li appeared between them and Tobey. His back was to the siblings, but before they could react he swung his staff followed by a round kick and knocked them down.

He completed his kick slowly and put his foot back on the ground, smiling at Tobey. Since Tobey couldn't ride away, and to help Sid and Sue, he tried to jump off his bike, but fell with the bike on top of him. He cried out in frustration as he tried to pull his hands off of the handle bars, but the bike had grown tentacles and held his wrists bound to each handlebar. The small round headlight turned into a mouth with very sharp teeth, still with a light inside so he could see each tooth and how sharp it was.

"Aaaaah! No! – You said you wanted to talk Kong Loser – now you do this? I knew you were up to something really evil!" Tobey cried, barely keeping the teeth away from his face. He kept his feet braced against on a sort of body that made up part of the creature that used to be his bike. The tentacle-like arms kept his hands pinned out to his sides.

"I only set this trap to be sure you stuck around long enough to hear what I had to say, son."

Hearing Kong Li call Tobey 'son' made Sid and Sue fight hard to stand up. Sid winced as he held his hand over a bruise on his abdomen where the dragon-headed staff had hit him. Sue winced when she put her hand against her head and took a couple of unsteady limping steps as she yelled, "Kong Li! Call that thing off of Tobey and we'll be happy to listen while you say what you have to say."

Sid added a threat, "Release Tobey right now or you'll have a fight on your hands!"

"I said I wanted to talk to my son, not to you two." Kong Li waved his hand toward them, and trapped Sid and Sue in separate bubbles. With them floating a few feet above the ground, he turned back toward Tobey, still struggling against the 'bike serpent'.

"Promise you won't run away, and I'll call your bike off of you."

"Let Sid and Sue go! When I get up from here I'm gonna kick your ass! . . . dad."

"No, you won't, because when I let you up, you will stand patiently and listen, or terrible things will happen to them."

"Okay – I'll listen – but I won't believe a word you say! No matter what – you'll never convince me to turn away from my real family again!"

As he spoke, with slow hand gestures, Kong Li made the bike serpent stop threatening and it released Tobey's wrists, but more tentacles grabbed his ankles instead.

"Hey! You said you'd make it let me go" Tobey stood up, but was leaning down, punching at a tentacle.

"I will turn it back into your precious bike, as soon as you're a little less emotional."

"I'm not going to be less emotional while my bike looks like this and you have Sid and Sue trapped like that!"

"Too bad, now be quiet and listen, if you have even a small ability to control yourself."

"I can control myself – I choose not to!" Tobey whined and kicked some more. In the darkness, the occasional car or truck that went by didn't see the strange group, with an adult using magic to attack the three teens.

Kong Li watched Tobey struggle for a moment, but his patience was wearing thin. He sighed suddenly and finally, "Okay son, I didn't think you'd make me do this."

Kong Li waved his hand and Sue's bubble started drifting out to hover in the left lane. "Are you watching, son?"

Tobey stopped kicking and seeing Sue floating away, screamed, "What are you doing to her?"

Kong Li's shape shifter appeared in the passenger seat of a truck that had just driven by. The driver screamed and fainted without Shifty even having to touch him. As the shape shifter steered the truck with long tentacles, turning it around to go back to where its master was he revved the engine more than needed, just for dramatic effect.

"I am showing you just how serious I am!" Kong Li yelled and they heard the small delivery truck's engine roar as the shifter accelerated toward the bubble.

Sid was yelling and threatening curses from his bubble, but they could barely hear him. Tobey stood up to see and begged Kong Li, "No! Please – I will listen to you – STOP THIS!"

Kong Li smiled and holding his hand up, quickly closing his fingers into a fist, and the bubble popped. Sue dropped out sight, landing in front of the speeding truck.

"NOOOOO!" they boys screamed together, but Sid's cries of anguish went unheard as the truck sped away, and Sue's body lie unmoving, on the other side of the street.

The truck's engine could still be heard in the quiet night. The shifter had turn around again, and stopped facing where he had just hit Sue. He revved the engine again in a most threatening way.

"Now, Tobey." Kong Li spoke softly. "Now you know I am serious, and the same thing will happen to Sid if you even blink while I am talking."

Sid couldn't hear what Kong Li was saying and right then, didn't care. He had fallen to his knees inside the bubble, making it bounce gently. He went forward to his elbows, and with fists beating on his bike helmet, he sobbed so hard for his sister that the bubble shook.

Tobey heard what Kong Li said even though he had some very strong feelings and thoughts screaming through his mind at the same time. He remained strangely still while Kong Li spoke. "Well, it looks like I have your attention."

Tobey stood and stared at Kong Li, a blank look on his face, like he was in some sort of shock.

"I've been trying to catch you to warn you my son – the end is near. And only you and I can save Chinatown."

"Wait," Tobey spoke softly and slowly, it was scary how little he sounded like Tobey. "Don't tell me . . . you want me to bring you the cookbook, so you can save Chinatown."

"Yes, but you and me! It is our destiny to do it together!"

"I'm not the sharpest took in the shed, but just how stupid do you think I am? If there was a threat coming to Chinatown that you could possibly know about, Nana would have known about it – long before you and I would gladly help her save Chinatown!"

"I know, it surprises me too that she hasn't seen this coming. Even when we were in school, she was always much better than me when it came to seeing and sensing spells."

"You've wanted to destroy Chinatown and Nana so you could get out of here for years. How are you gonna make me believe you want to save it now?"

"Because my son, if this disaster hits Chinatown, no one will survive, not you or me."

"Then let's tell Nana. I'm sure she will help then."

"No son - There is just no time!"

"Forget it Kong loser! There must be time! You just don't want to tell Nana because she would never fall for your tricks. The same reason you didn't want Sid and . . . Sue to hear you talking to me!"

"No son, I promise – I've changed. What happened at the spirit festival and seeing how well you fought for what is good, inspired me."

Tobey ignored him. He was still all choked up after saying Sue's name. Then it occurred to him, "if I can work this right, this disaster, whatever it is, could rid Chinatown of Kong Li, and I can be sure that Nana and Sid will save Chinatown no matter what."

"What are you mumbling, son?"

"Nothing, just . . . okay, if there is no time – let's get to it – release Sid."

"Thank you my boy, you won't be sorry!" Kong Li didn't bother to lower the bubble before he popped it and dropped Sid unexpectedly to the pavement. Still holding his side, he managed to stand up crying, "How could you?"

"How could I what?" Kong Li seemed to have forgotten for a moment, "Oh - you mean little Sue Yi."

"Yes you monster! You killed my sister!" Sid stumbled forward like he would try to attack Kong Li.

"It was necessary; you know - sacrifice the one to save the thousands blah blahblah."

Sid roared and charged him; Tobey stepped in front of him and Sid pulled up short. "WHAT? Tobey! Don't tell me you're protecting him again?"

Tobey smiled confidently and charged Sid. He body-slammed him, but not too hard and they both went down. Tobey landed next to him, but immediately rolled over and grabbed him in a bear hug. Not giving Tobey a chance to say anything, Sid cried, "Tobey! Please – can't you see?"

"Yeah Sid – I can." Tobey pretended to punch Sid over and over in the ribs, but wasn't really connecting as he whispered in Sid's ear, "I really do see this time, I promise. Help Nana. Kong Li won't be coming back from this one - and neither will I. I'm so sorry it's too late for Sue, but believe me, you'll be better off."

"What – Tobey?" Sid was confused, but Tobey threw a punch to his face that turned his head. It didn't hurt as badly as Sid expected, but he didn't finish his question.

Tobey joined Kong Li and they started to walk away. Sid rolled up on one elbow and cried, "Wait Tobey! No! Don't do this!"

"I have to. I'm the only one that can. You know - prophesies and all that crap." Tobey laughed sadly.

Kong Li added, "Go Sid, take your sister's body back to Mei Hua. You have a funeral to plan – I say make it a nice one – it will be the only one your sister will have." Kong Li laughed and feeling victorious already, put his hand on Tobey's shoulder to guide him away. Tobey shot a final, expressionless look at Sid and they disappeared into a portal.

/TDTDTD\\\\\

Tobey Continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

THE END 2

Sid slowly pulled himself up on his feet using a nearby lamppost. He was determined to get to the place where his sister had fallen. On the way, he mumbled, "I can't believe this is happening! It feels like everything is over – there's no hope."

The journey across the empty street seemed like miles. He fell once in the middle of the deserted street, and with no lamppost nearby, it took even longer to get up. When he finally got beside his sister's body he went to his knees and leaned over her, touching her shoulder and gently shaking her. "Sue? How did this happen? How could Kong Li have done this?" Looking at her face, her eyes closed, he thought how much she still looked the same as she did when she was alive.

"Sue! My sister - dead? And Tobey has gone with Kong Li! I can't stand this! - NANA!" Sid screamed uselessly into the night air.

He gently unfastened Sue's chinstrap. Lifting her body to cradle her in his arms, he felt the back of her head on his arm. There was a small patch of bloody hair, cold to the touch and above that, he felt the sharp edges of the plastic from a wide crack in her helmet.

"Oh Sue." He cried softly and leaned forward with his forehead on her chest.

"What . . . a headache I have and it's hard to breathe with this on my chest." Sue groaned and pushed at what was on her chest, her brother's head. Surprised and elated, Sid gasped and grabbed her, pulling her into his lap for a hug.

Squeezing her eyes tighter shut, she tried to push away. "You're squeezing too tight!"

"SUE! You're not dead! . . . How can you not be dead?"

"What? Have you been crying, bro?"

"I saw you get hit – you flew through the air off the front of that truck and landed here! You didn't move."

"The truck didn't hit me, exactly. When the bubble popped, I kicked off of the truck's grill and it gave me enough momentum to get out of the way in time. I lost it at the landing though. I guess I banged my head."

"I guess you did Mei-Mei! Look at your helmet."

"Ow."

"Ow's right." Sid confirmed.

"Oh no," Sue suddenly turned her head so fast looking for Tobey that she got dizzy, "Tobey! Sid - where is he?" she asked, pressing her palms to her throbbing head.

"He went with Kong Li again! I can't believe that dork would do that!"

"He's not a dork – at least not in a bad way. Did he say anything?"

"Yeah, it was weird. He said he really did have it under control this time and to trust him, Kong Li wouldn't be coming back this time."

"Oh no, he can't do this alone! He doesn't even have a plan!"

"Actually, it sounded like he did have a plan, Sue. A terrible plan - he said he wouldn't be coming back either."

"No! We have to find him! I knew it – he's planning to die somehow and thinks it's okay as long as he takes Kong Li with him!"

"How can he possibly think his dying on purpose for any reason is okay?"

"He was talking about it; in fact he said he wanted you and me to banish him if it ever even looked like he would fall for one of Kong Li's tricks again!" While Sue was practically yelling at Sid, she took her phone out and dialed Nana.

"Hi Sue," Nana answered before it even rang on her end, "something's wrong isn't it?"

"Yeah – Kong Li has Tobey again! But how did you know?"

"I had a terrible feeling suddenly and knew you were calling. Are you and Sid okay?"

"More or less." Sue answered, looking at Sid's disheveled appearance.

"I'll follow the GPS signals on your phones - don't move from where you are - Sue, I'm worried about you."

The call ended, Sue looked at Sid, "How does she know this stuff?"

"I don't know Mei-Mei, but I wish she could have had her feeling and gotten here in time to stop Tobey."

"Right, Sid - are you badly hurt?"

"Kong Li got me pretty good with his staff, but I'm fine."

In the moment it took the siblings to help each other up, Nana showed up. "Nana!" Sid cried, "How will we find Tobey and Kong Li?"

"His phone is still on." Nana looked closely at Sue, "You both look pretty banged up, are you able to ride?"

"For Tobey, I'll fly if I have to." Sue said determinedly.

"Actually that is what I had in mind." Nana reached to her side like she was touching the shoulder of an old friend, which she was. At her touch, the black dragon revealed himself to the siblings. His black translucent scales shimmered in the streetlight.

Sid startled and took a step back realizing they had been standing under the dragon's wing since Nana got there. Sue wasn't frightened at all and stroked the dragons large face. His face was about twice as large as a horse's head. Sue whispered, "Please dragon, help us save Tobey. This just can't be what the prophesy was about."

/TDTDTD\\\\\

Kong Li lead Tobey into a basement under an abandoned building behind the Chinatown graveyard grounds. Tobey thought, 'how fitting it will be for me and daddy to die here. Underground at the graveyard. No one will have to bother burying us.' Impatiently, he asked, "So what is this big disaster that's coming our way?"

"Didn't you notice on the way? They're already here."

"Um no - I didn't see anyone. They who?"

"You didn't notice all the Grasshoppers?"

"Grasshoppers? You're all shook up over grasshoppers?"

"I am not shook up, I am thrilled actually."

"Why, because you think you can defeat a few grasshoppers? You didn't really need me or the cookbook for this." Tobey was already trying to figure out what the huge disaster was, and was less sure he could use a grasshopper infestation to rid the world of Kong Li. He didn't even try to hide his disappointment, letting out a deep sigh and kicking a small piece of crumbling concrete in the abandoned basement.

"Don't worry my son - there will be thousands - and I will need you."

"I can't imagine why . . . father, maybe if we were in a farming community it could be called a disaster when grasshoppers destroy crops, but I don't think even thousands of grasshoppers will do much damage to the stone and brick buildings in Chinatown."

"Don't worry - they will be able to kill everyone in Chinatown! Here, help me mix this."

Kong Li gave Tobey a bag of what looked like protein powder and gestured to him to pour it in slowly while he stirred. Tobey asked "What is this?

"It will help."

"If you already have a spell cooking to take care of the grasshoppers, why did you say you needed me and the cookbook?"

"Oh, believe me, we will need the cookbook, this is bigger than both of us."

"It's just grasshoppers, they will move on when they don't find much to eat here in the city." Under his breath, Tobey added, "and I will have to think of something else to end us."

"They will find plenty to eat right here in Chinatown."

"What? Aren't grasshoppers vegetarians?"

"Not always – here, take these – the potion is in these buckets. I need you to go out with me to spread it around."

"I thought you wanted the cookbook. If you already have a potion why do you think I would still get it for you?"

"We can take the van, but I want you to drive."

"I don't have a license."

"I need to spray the potion out of the back of the van as we go. The grasshoppers will crawl through it and we will win." Kong Li whispered, "and I don't want you to see what effect this recipe will have on the grasshoppers."

Tobey followed Kong Li to the van, carrying two of the three, five-gallon buckets. On the way he did notice a grasshopper in the flowers growing in a planter-box along the sidewalk, but it was nighttime, so it was just sitting still on a stem.

One at a time, Tobey handed Kong Li each bucket, and Kong li poured the potion into a large paint sprayer. He poured the last of it in and motioned for Tobey to join him in the back of the van. Tobey jumped in and tried to pass Kong Li, on his way to the driver's seat. Kong Li stopped him, "You're destiny is to help me, son. I am so happy to have you at my side. I knew the prophesy wouldn't be wrong."

"I still don't think the prophesy meant destruction by grasshoppers." Tobey mumbled as he put on the seat belt. He noticed the van had no rear view or side mirrors. "Hey, no mirrors - isn't that illegal?"

"Probably my son, but don't worry. You don't need to see anything that goes on behind us - you just concentrate on going forward and avoid areas that might be busy at this late hour. We don't want any innocent citizens to get in our way."

/TDTDTD\\\\\

Nana sat up front, just behind the great dragon's wings. Then Sue and then Sid, hugging Sue tightly. Sue patted Sid's arm, "You okay back there?"

"Yeah. Fine." Sid had his eyes squeezed shut."I just hope I don't barf down your back."

"Eew Sid! Don't tell me you're air-sick."

"I can't help it! -urp." Sid loosened his grip on Sue to cover his mouth with one hand.

"Don't you dare barf on me!" Sue warned.

"Kids look down there!"

Sue looked ahead, over Nana's shoulder and Sid timidly opened one eye, trying to see but trying not to get any sicker when he looked down.

Below them, in the park were three giant grasshoppers, chewing the heads off of trees like they were broccoli sprouts. They were the size of buffalo.

"This is the threat that Kong Li brings to Chinatown?" Sid cried, "Just get me a can of bug killer."

Don't be fooled, they are ferocious and destructive, but bug killer if there's enough of it may work."

"Sue interrupted, you can't spray poison! It would kill more than just the giant grasshoppers, and maybe even peoppe~ it'll get in the water and everything/1

Sue don't worry, we don't even need to kill the grasshoppers. The spray we use will be natural - grasshoppers don't like horehound or cilantro and I have a log of both growing in the garden at home. We will mix it those herbs with garlic oil and spray it around the park to keep them there until the spell wears off.

"Spell nana?"

"Of course, it has to be Kong Li."

The great black dragon turned with no more direction from nana and flew toward Wu's Garden.

/TDTDTD\\\\\

"Okay Son," Kong Li sat in the passenger seat, sideways with his hand on Tobey's shoulder, "that's the end of the potion. Now lets go get the cookbook."

"you said you needed me and the cookbook to save Chinatown from this grasshopper disaster, You've used you're potion - I'm done." Tobey stomped on the accelerator and headed for the cliff like he intended to drive right off. .

No son - what are you doing? My little potion didn't save Chinatown on its own - we still need the cookbook!

"Why?" Kong Li was grabbing at Tobey's wrists trying to pull his hands off the steering wheel. "Son! Chinatown, your Nana and Sid aren't safe yet!"

"I'm getting tired of your lies daddy - what do you mean?" Tobey stopped the van and Kong Li let go of him.

"YOU Reject Brat! Um . . . Son - you scared me! It seemed like you were going to drive us off that cliff on purpose!"

"Never mind! Just tell me what's going on!"

"My potion won't destroy the bugs on its own! We have to have the cookbook to get the recipe that will fix this for good!"

"Fine - we will go get the cookbook But promise that if anyone else is there, you won't hurt them!"

"Fine son, but if they are there they will try to stop us."

"Don't worry, If they are there, I will get rid of them - I just won't hurt them doing it!" Tobey sounded sure, but inside he was repeating, 'What'll I do?'

Kong Li smiled a most wicked smile, "Don't worry son, since I asked for your help, we will do this your way."

Tobey kept his eye on Kong Li as he drove to Wu's garden. This time he knew that Nana didn't keep the cookbook in the scholar stone so he was pretty sure the cookbook would be safe enough no matter what happened.

/TDTDTD\\\\\

Tobey continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3

THE END 3

The dragon, with Sid, Sue and Nana on his back landed silently on Wu's Garden roof. Sue whispered, "Oh no, Tobey's already here with Kong Li!" Sue whispered.

Sid set his jaw and swung his leg over to get down and fight, but Nana stopped him.

"Sid," she whispered, "We'll be invisible as long as we stay on the dragon's back - they won't see us." she whispered.

"But we have to get down there Nana, Tobey's gonna give Kong Li the cookbook."

Sue pointed out, "Tobey's trying to get into the scholar stone."

"I can see that"

"That's the point Sid - you know the cookbook isn't in there."

"Yeah, good thing - but he's still looking for it to give to Kong Li!" Sid was having a little trouble keeping his voice down, and Kong Li looked toward the roof like he heard him.

"Shhhh Sid," Sue whispered back, "My point was that Tobey knows that Nana doesn't keep the cookbook there anymore too."

"He probably forgot."

"No, he's probably stalling."

"Oh, well then, he's probably hoping we'll get down there to help him." Sid sounded embarrassed when he spoke. Before Nana or Sue could stop him, he vaulted from the dragon's back, ran to the edge of the roof and jumped down into the garden.

"Sid NO!" Sue hissed and started to go after him, but Nana grabbed her arm.

"Stay here Sue, unless we are needed."

"I'm sure they'll need us, and we have to get the herbs to make the grasshopper repellant!"

"Be patient Sue."

Sid landed half-way out into the garden from the roof top, and yelled, "Tobey! What do you think you're doing?"

"No Sid! Don't interrupt us! Get out of here before you get hurt!"

"I'm gonna be the one doin' the hurtin' Tobey! I just hope it isn't you that I have to hurt!"

Tobey looked at Kong Li, a worried look on his face. Kong Li gestured, like 'be my guest' making it clear that he wasn't going to get involved, at least for right then. Tobey looked back at Sid, who was already in his tiger stance.

Tobey slowly lowered into his snake stance. "Please Sid! Just go - I told you I had everything under control."

"How is bringing Kong Li here, showing us how in-control you are? I don't want to fight you, but I have to stop this!"

"No! I couldn't stand it if something happened to you, like it did to Sue - I'LL MAKE YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!"

"But Sue is . . ." Sid started to tell Tobey that his sister was okay, but Tobey yelled angrily, "JUST LEAVE SID!" and then he charged Sid like he was really angry.

Tobey was just afraid if he didn't do something, Kong Li would. So he punched Sid in his abdomen where he knew Sid was already sore and he hoped that would end it, but Sid pushed him off with his foot in Tobey's gut. Tobey flew through the air and landed near Kong Li. He looked back at his father, as he scrambled to his feet, hoping Kong Li wouldn't think it was his turn already.

"Do you need my help son? Sid always was stronger than you."

"NO WAY!" Tobey yelled, "I'll handle this!"

Tobey ran back at Sid, but rather than watch the boys, Kong Li was looking at the roof. He was sure he heard voices and knew some kind of invisibility spell wasn't beyond Mei Hua's skill.

"Gui Kow No!" Kong Li chanted, causing a blue flame to burst from his hand and fly toward the roof. It stopped suddenly and went out.

Nana and Sue ducked lower on the dragon's back, as the dragon blocked the flame-attack with his wing. Kong Li raised his eyebrow, thinking the fire's behavior was a little unexpected, but just then heard his son cry out, "Sid! NO!" Kong Li turned back to watch the fight, thinking his son had lost already.

Sid was breathing so hard his sister could hear him from her hiding place on the roof. The pain he was experiencing from the injuries he got during his fight with Kong Li showed on his face, but after an intense fight with Tobey, he finally had his friend pinned face-down on the concrete walkway.

"Sid, please - let me up and just run!"

"Forget it Tob' - I want to know how Kong Li convinced you to help him again - did he make you eat anything?"

"No!" Tobey coughed, "Please Sid - he didn't convince me to do anything - this is part of my plan - well kind of - things aren't really going like I wanted them to."

A blue flame suddenly exploded against Sid's back and blasted him off of Tobey. Tobey sat up quickly watching Sid curl up in to a painful ball on the sidewalk, before he passed out.

"You looked like you needed a little help, son."

"Um! No father - I had him right where I wanted him!"

Just then, the biggest, decorative tree in the garden shook and bent away from the wall, the branches cracking and splitting until it was on the ground, with a huge grasshopper sitting on it. Another hopped over the wall from the same direction and landed by the pond. It got a big drink from the pond and sucked in a fish with the water.

Everyone who was still conscious in the garden and on the roof, including the dragon, froze as they watched the grasshoppers, first there were two, and then six, attracted by the succulent and delicate flowers that Mr. Wu and Barney cared for so faithfully. The sixty-year-old banzai tree was devoured in seconds.

The large green bug that finished off the banzai tree, turned to face Tobey.

It was really hard to tell where the grasshopper might be looking, but Tobey guessed it was watching him. If it came at him, Sid would be in the bug's path so Tobey grabbed under Sid's arms and pulled him back. He put Sid behind one of the concrete benches and stood between him and the giant bug, poised for a fight.

Kong Li growled, "Leave him - get me the cookbook!"

"But I have to protect Sid from these bugs! He's already hurt!"

"No you don't son! You're falling back into some of you more annoying habits. Don't tell me you're having second thoughts about joining with me to save Chinatown."

Tobey glanced at Sid worried that he had shown no sign of waking up yet, growled softly, "No. I'm with you dad, 'til the end." He ran toward the scholar stone again, jumping over a grasshopper to get there.

Kong Li joined his son at the scholar stone, watching more closely this time. Tobey looked at Kong Li, and a small smile spread across his face. Behind his dad, he saw that Sid was no longer lying behind the bench. Thinking Sid has awakened and gotten away on his own, Tobey got back to the task at hand.

Two more turns and three pushes on the dial opened the hidden vault in the stone. Kong Li leaned in to look for the cookbook, and exploded in anger when he saw the apparently empty vault. "Tobey! Have you betrayed me again?"

"No - I swear, this is where she keeps it - unless she is using it for research or something!"

Kong Li angrily pushed Tobey back, put his hands inside the vault and flames erupted from his palms. The flames lit up the inside of the vault and in seconds the whole rock glowed. He looked to the sky and shouted, "Mei Hua!"

His tantrum kept him from noticing that Tobey took a small vial from the vault and put it in his pocket.

From behind them a grasshopper jumped at Kong Li and the evil man saw it coming. Before Tobey knew what was happening, Kong Li pulled him over. Using Tobey like a shield, Kong Li took a step back as Tobey was slammed to the ground by the grasshopper. Tobey cried out in surprise and elbowed and kicked at the giant insect. It stood with only one front appendage on his back, but Tobey couldn't throw it off. He did scare it enough that it spit something like chewing tobacco goo in his hair.

"Gross!" Tobey cried.

The insect's exoskeletal jaw made the most horrible clicking noises as the grasshopper started nibbling on Tobey's shoulder. It hurt and Tobey kicked up again with both feet. "I thought you guys were vegetarians!" he squealed. The insect stepped sideways and chirped at him using a leg and the edge of its wing.

Tobey rolled away from it and took his fighting stance, but the grasshopper walked to another flower bed to feed. Tobey looked around for Nana or Sid, but no one was in sight so he thought it safe enough to execute his plan.

Tobey threw the vial down and it broke at his feet. Tobey grabbed Kong Li for a loving hug and threw the vial so hard it broke on the ground behind his dad.

"What are you doing?" the villain cried. Tobey kept Kong Li in a bear hug so he couldn't move away or cast a countering spell.

"We're having some father-son bonding time Kong Loser!" Tobey yelled just as the earth cracked and a crevasse opened under their feet.

Even with his arms pinned by Tobey's bear-hug, Tobey's weight wasn't enough to completely keep Kong Li from moving. Kong Li clumsily jumped to slightly more solid ground as the concrete walkways and garden soil kept cracking under their feet. Tobey used what weight and strength he had to pull Kong Li back, and they both fell into the crevasse.

Kong Li got one arm out and grabbed a broken pipe sticking out of the crevasse wall, which stopped their fall – at least for the moment. The edge of the broken asphalt was just inches above the pipe. Tobey realized they weren't falling and yelled angrily, "Let GO! I'm taking you with me!"

"No! You reject moron! Don't you realize what spell you've used? We'll be falling to a lifetime of anguish!"

"I know - I think it's a fitting end for you!"

"Come 'on boy! You'll suffer and die too!"

"It's okay, I was born to take you out - and if I have to go with you, so be it!"

"Tobey no! You were born to help me!"

"It's okay daddy, my real family will be better off without me. But I still don't want to help you hurt anyone. My death, as long as I take you out with me, is my destiny."

"You're crazy, son!"

Kong Li pulled his other arm out of Tobey's hug and Tobey slid down lower, holding Kong Li around his knees, he kicked with his feet, "No I'm not going down without you! Just let go!"

Nana heard Tobey yelling at Kong Li as she jumped down from the roof to grab the herbs she needed. She instructed Sue, "Get Sid out of harm's way and help Tobey with Kong Li. I'll throw together the recipe for a potion to keep the grasshoppers away from people until morning."

The dragon opted to wait on the roof unless he was needed.

Sue pulled Sid just inside Wu's back door hoping he'd wake up and be okay. She The area between the pond and the scholar stone had caved in, and as Sue got close enough to look in, she saw Kong I holding on, with Tobey holding on to his legs. "Tobey!" She exclaimed as she leaned down, trying to reach the villain's hand.

Tobey thought he was dreaming when he heard Sue yell, but even thinking it a dream, he looked up anyway and saw her.

"Sue you're alive!" Tobey squealed.

"Of course I am Tobey, but you're in a bit of a pickle." Sue called down to him. Seeing no other way to help Tobey, she lay down on her stomach and could just reach one of Kong Li's hands. He smiled evilly, "That's a good girl, you wouldn't want to lose Tobey, or his only living blood relative!"

"I'm not doing this for you! I just don't want to lose Tobey."

"You've lost him anyway. He's mine."

"No - I won't let you take him back."

"Still girl - If you let me fall, the point is moot."

"Ahhhhg!" Sue gritted her teeth trying to hold on, and as she strained she looked at Tobey, and saw tears running down his cheeks. Thinking him scared, she begged him, "Tobey please just hang on," and then she screamed, "NANA!"

Nana was in the store room mixing natural bug repellant and didn't hear Sue calling her. But the dragon heard Sue yell for help.

"STOP it!" Sue exclaimed, "Stop trying to kick Tobey off – I promise if he falls, I'll have no reason to hang onto you!"

Realizing that Tobey hanging on to his legs, was the only reason Sue didn't just drop him, Kong Li stopped kicking. Tobey called, "Sue just let him go - saving me is not worth saving him."

Tobey wiped his tears and nose on the back of Kong Li's pant-leg. He smiled at the wet spot he made, then looking up at Sue he mouthed, "I love you," and then he let go.

Sue screamed his name when she saw him let go. She watched in horror as he fell into the red, glowing smoke deep in the crevasse. Startled, she let go of Kong Li's hand without really meaning to and he fell right after Tobey. Sue sank to her knees at the edge of the pit and sobbed. Something very large rushed past her creating a wind that almost sucked her down into the crevasse with it. Wiping her eyes and bracing herself against the wind, she looked down. Through the smoke and steam stirred up by the huge dragon's wings, Sue saw the dragon a hundred feet below. He was swimming on the surface of the lava like a swan floating on a lake's surface.

"I guess the dragon couldn't find Tobey." Sue spoke tearfully, "There was no way even a mystical being could have gotten down there in time to catch him." Sue buried her face in her hands and cried some more.

Sid joined her, moving slowly from his injuries, from the scene and his sisters tears he knew what had happened, but to confirm, whispered, "Oh Sue . . . Did Tobey?"

"Oh Sid, Tobey let go on purpose! I could have saved him, if he just would have held on for a minute longer!"

"I didn't want to believe he was serious, but Tobey said this was the way he wanted it."

"Sid, Tobey knew I was only hanging on to Kong loser, so he wouldn't fall, so he let go!"

While the teens tried to comfort each other, the dragon swam to the edge of the lake of lava and started climbing up the cliff wall his big claws digging deep into the side of the rock wall. He held one wing tightly against his side, and used the other to balance, flapping it gently from time to time.

With Sue crying into his chest, Sid was watching the dragon quietly for a while, but then asked, "Why isn't he flying to get out?"

Sue wiped her eyes and looked down too. She said, "I don't know, maybe it's too hot down there to get any lift."

"I don't know - hot air balloons use hot air."

"Not really" Sue corrected, "it's the difference between the hot air inside the balloon and cool air outside. I'm sure there is no cool air down there."

"But still," Sid continued, "Well . . . he's immortal, I'm sure he's fine."

"No he's eternal." Sue wiped her eyes again, trying not to cry anymore. "Nana said he will live forever, but can be hurt or killed. I hope he didn't hurt himself. He's holding his wing funny."

"I wish Tobey had been immortal. It seemed like he might have been immortal sometimes, with all the risks he used to take."

While the siblings considered the reasons why the dragon might not be flying, and mourned for Tobey, one large, clawed foot and then the other appeared right in front of them. Then the dragon's head rose to a height above their heads before he climbed out any farther. He paused, looking at Sid and Sue for a moment. The grasshoppers that were still browsing on the plants in the garden hopped over the wall to get away after the appearance of the huge dragon. Carefully, the dragon climbed the rest of the way out, spread his wing out and Tobey rolled gently out from under his wing and onto the grass.

He wasn't even crispy around the edges after being protected from the heat, but he was drenched with sweat and seemed to be unconscious. The siblings ran over to him, and Sue picked him up just enough for a tight hug.

"Tobey! Oh Sid look! The dragon caught him after all!"

Sid kneeled beside his sister and best friend, "Tobey, can you hear us?"

Tobey didn't bother to open his eyes, but mumbled, "You guys shouldn't have saved me."

Sue put Tobey down, gently, "Oh no . . . Tobey, please don't say that!"

Sid added, "But Tob', I understand your wish to save us, even at the cost of your own life – I would die to save you or Sue too, but this spell wouldn't have killed you – you'd be stuck in a lifetime of agony!"

"This isn't that spell, its one I made myself." Sue helped Tobey sit up as he answered, "The lava at the bottom is the trick."

"Wow! You made that yourself! See? You do have a knack for magic!" Sid observed. Tobey looked away angrily.

"Oh Tobey," Sue touched his shoulder and he turned back to face her but there's still no way we'd let you die if we could help it."

"We actually thought we'd lost you, but the dragon somehow saved you and brought you out under his wing."

"You shouldn't have called him."

"Enough of this talk Tobey, I told you - we stick together."

"Yeah buddy, we don't wanna lose you."

"Yeah well, you'd be better off without me."

Tobey got up and sulked off to Wu's back door.

"Kids, what's going on?" Nana asked, walking up to Sid and Sue a minute later. "Where's Tobey?"

"He's here. We think."

"He just went inside nana."

"Why didn't he try to follow Kong Li again?"

"Actually, Kong Li followed him. They both fell into the pit, the dragon rescued Tobey, but I think Kong Li may really be gone this time."

"But sue, he fell into the pit before and came back."

"Yes, but this wasn't a spell he could have known about - Tobey said he made it."

"It is too bad," Nana stated, "that any living being had to die, even Kong Li, but I'm sure that if the dragon could have saved them both, he would have. It is fortuitous that if he could only save one, that Tobey was the one saved."

"Tobey doesn't think so. He's sulking about bein saved nana, I don't really understand him."

"go in and find him, ask him to help you understand, and just doing so he may gain some clarity about the situation. I will be back as soon as I can to talk to him to, but first the dragon and I are going to round up some big bugs so Chinatown doesn't' wake up to them in their gardens at home."

"Yeah Nana, I have to admit I am a little nervous about trying to explain what happened to Mr. Wu. His garden is ruined."

"Don't worry, just use ignorance. Let Calvin wonder what happened, don't offer an explanation and he'll probably think aliens landed here or something." Nana smiled at them and vanished as she jumped up on the dragon's back with her bag of repellant.

Sue helped Sid inside to get his wounds cleaned and bandaged, but Tobey refused her first aid when Sue offered to help him. She tried to clean up his shoulder where the monster-sized grasshopper chewed a little, but for the first time, ever Tobey said he didn't want her to touch him.

Sid and Sue went to bed and Tobey pretended to, but as soon as Sid was asleep he went back to the garden and sat midst the destruction to think.

At daylight Nana returned and all

but one football-sized insect had returned to their normal sizes. The smaller, but still unusually large grasshopper let Nana carry him home without any fuss.

As soon as she got home, she ran upstairs to check on the kids and went looking for Tobey since he wasn't in his bed. She found him still sitting alone in the ruined garden and went over to him. "Hi Tobey," she held out the grasshopper, "this one must have had an especially large dose and hasn't returned completely to normal yet, will you keep him out of trouble until he is normal-sized?" Nana sat it on the bench next to Tobey. Instead of hopping out into the grass, it crawled closer to him. He jumped up, yelling, "Get that thing away from me!"

"It won't hurt you Tobey, don't be afraid."

"Oh yeah? My shoulder still hurts!" He turned around and pulled the shoulder on his tank top down to be sure she could see.

Oh Tobey, the grasshopper was as big as a volkswagon when it did that- and it was only tasting how sweet you are, but you're still bloody. Sid was wrapped almost from head to toe - Sue sent me a picture of him on her camera phone, why didn't they help you get cleaned up?"

"I told them to leave me alone."

"Didn't you clean yourself up last night before you went to bed?"

"No - I never went to bed."

"Tobey, you seem so down." Nana observed, "You defeated Kong Li, and I am proud of you."

"Life just sucks."

"But there's no way Kong Li can come back from this one. The dragon told me of his fate. You've saved Chinatown."

"Great, but I killed my own father. I wanted to . . . I wanted . . ."

"Oh Tobey, Tobey" Nana put her arm around him, interrupting, "try not to think of him as your father. I've heard Sue and Sid call him your sperm donor. It's a little crude, but they are right, Kong Li was evil – you are nothing like him and he was never a father to you."

"But still - I didn't really want to kill him. I thought I would die with him and it would be okay – I wanted to . . ."

"Oh Tobey, I had no idea you were feeling like this. You seem so confused! If you really look at this situation clearly – you'll realize that you really don't want to die. And we all love you – it would cause us all pain if you died."

Tobey mumbled, "It'll pass." and then he jumped in one leap almost straight up and over the wall. Nana sighed and went indoors. She found Sid and Sue sitting in one of the booths. The restaurant was empty otherwise. Even Barney was staying in the kitchen getting ready to open for the lunch crowd.

Nana still spoke softly, "Kids, I am very worried about Tobey."

"We are too." Sue responded, "Even defeating Kong loser didn't cheer him up."

"Actually that seems to be part of his problem. He knew he had to stop Kong Li, but now he's upset because he banished his father. He's not thinking about it as a situation where he rid the world of a terrible villain, but that he killed his father – and he reasoned that it would be okay, as long as he died to.

"But Nana, that makes no sense!"

"Not to me, but that seems to be what Tobey is thinking. He ran away from me when I tried to talk to him."

"Don't worry Nana, we'll find him - maybe he'll talk to us." Sue said as she stood up.

"We'll make him talk to us." Sid added and stood, taking off the bandages that Sue used to cover every small scratch or bruise. He left the large bandage on his back that covered the burn. The wound still hurt a lot, even covered. Sue was already on her bike with her helmet on and heading out through the round garden gate by the time he got to the garden.

"Come on Bro! You're too slow!" Sue pedaled away, yelling back, "You search the wharf - keep in touch!"

Sid stopped his bike, near the last dock. He looked out over the water, "He's not here, unless he dove in." then out of the corner of his eye, he saw a white tank top, black jeans and black and white hair blowing in the breeze. A figure just so stood at the top of the cliff. He was far enough away that Sid couldn't see his face, but still recognized him. He quickly stood up to pedal that way as he pulled out his phone. "Sue! Where are you?"

"By Jaing's Market."

Good, I think you can get there before me! Sue! I see Tobey! He's standing at the top of Lombard cliff – take Lumbard Street!"

"What's he doing up there?"

"I told you, I can see from the wharf, he's just standing there!"

The siblings both stood up, racing through traffic, and even up the hill. Sue did make it to the bottom of the hill at Lumbard Street first. She jumped off her bike and ran up the steep incline thinking it faster. When Sid saw her bike, he left his bike with it and went on foot too.

Tobey stood at edge of the cliff. "I should have just driven off the cliff with my dad in the passenger seat when I had the chance."

His face was kept dry of tears by the breeze that blew in from the ocean. He loved the ocean, the strength the smells everything about it. After he just stood for a while looking out, he said out loud, "This is a good way to go. At least I will still be useful, I will be fish food and I bet the fish will like the extra food." Tobey leaned forward a little and stared at the waves crashing against the rocks below. "I won't be able to cause any more suffering, and the waves will carry me out to the sharks right away."

Tobey gathered his courage, and spread his arms out to his sides like he thought he might fly.

Sue reached the top of the cliff in time to see him with his arms out and knew what he intended to do. She ran even faster, yelling, "Tobey! Wait!" but she was too late, Tobey didn't even hear her with the wind in his ears as he jumped.

She screamed his name three more times as she ran to where he had been standing just seconds before. "Tobey!" she screamed once more as she leaned out over the edge, hoping that he was still hanging just below the top. She was afraid to look down among the rocks, but she did look and didn't see him lying among the rocks either.

"SUE! Where is he?" Sid ran up, a little out of breath, "What happened?"

"He jumped off before I could get to him!" Sue turned and hugged her brother. "Oh Sid, it was like he didn't even hear me!"

Still hugging Sue, Sid took a step sideways and reluctantly looked down. "He's down there somewhere, isn't he?"

"Yeah, the tide must have pulled him off of the rocks right away."

"Maybe he jumped out far enough to hit the water – maybe he's still alive?"

"I don't see how, the rocks are just under the water's surface five hundred feet from the cliffs here."

The dragon was watching Tobey too. He snorted and blew fire at Tobey as he fell, just before he caught him around his middle, his thin hips fitting perfectly between two of the dragon's largest, lower teeth. As the upper canine teeth closed near his hip, holding him firmly, face down Tobey fainted. The dragon went invisible and skimmed low along the shore so tourists above wouldn't see him. Unfortunately, Sue didn't see him either and by the time Sid looked down he was long gone anyway.

Tobey woke up furious, remembering what happened. "I know you're all spiritual and mystical and a protector or something, but WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I wanna die - and you got in my way twice!"

The dragon became wrathful, growling and snorting smoke he rammed Tobey with his nose and knocked him down in the sand.

With a foot on his chest and his great claws scratching the pavement on either side of Tobey's head, the dragon roared and snorted hot steam in his face. "You are getting in your own way, child."

"You can talk? Since when can you talk?"

"You know very little about very few things in this life, child and you are not finished learning. Your life is not to be over for many, many years, and your short teenage life has not even begun to hint at your real destiny yet. How dare you think that it is up to you to decide what your destiny is?"

"I don't believe you. I am miserable, my real dad and me have only caused other people trouble and pain. I just don't feel like fighting anymore. I failed."

"No living being wants to die, but one can fool themselves into thinking it would be better. Really, what makes you think any existence after this one would be easier?"

"It's gotta be better than this. I am an orphan, I would have been so excited to learn that I had a parent left, but it was Kong Loser, still, he was my dad and now he's gone too – he banished my mom – and now I banished him!"

"You don't know what awaits you after death and believe me, if you leave this world now you will find nothing but unhappiness and suffering."

"I deserve it." Tobey mumbled and pushed at the clawed foot on his chest.

The dragon snarled, "You don't deserve it, and your real family, Mei Hua, Sid and Sue don't deserve the pain you will cause them if you die now."

"What am I supposed to do from here? I can't fix this!"

"You can, and its simple. You will stay in this world and practice compassion, think about others instead of only yourself. While you learn compassion for others you will develop compassion and kindness for yourself."

Now I am taking you home, but I will be watching you closely . . . Be happy child."

Tobey jumped up on the dragon's back for the ride home, and the first thing he noticed was the ocean breeze in his face, and then he realized, he was happy. He tried to talk to the dragon some more during the short flight, made short by the dragon's speed, but the dragon wouldn't talk to him anymore. He had done all he could.

Sid and Sue were still sitting at the top of the cliff, and Mei Hua had joined them. She stood in silence, looking out across the ocean.

They were waiting for the police to show up to file a report, the rest of the world could believe it was an accident, and would explain to everyone why Tobey would no longer be in school, or making deliveries, or hanging out at the arcade.

Sue shifted uncomfortably and leaned against Sid and Nana turned away from the ocean to look at them. Looking beyond them, back down the hill a little ways, she saw Tobey, walking slowly up the hill with a slight limp. He had a slight, smile on his face and looked embarrassed.

Nana spoke softly, "Kids, look behind you."

Sue didn't look, but Sid did and yelled, "Tobey!"

Hearing her brother made Sue sit up and look. She squealed, "Tobey!" jumped up and ran to him. She would have knocked him down, except for catching him in a hug.

"Sue! I'm sorry if I scared you." Tobey said, "I didn't mean . . ."

Sue pulled him even tighter and planted her lips on his, Tobey braced and clenched his jaw at first since no one had ever done that before. Sue held onto him until he relaxed and shut his eyes.

"Oh man . . ." Sid sounded disgusted. "Gross – Sue – he hasn't had a shower in days."

Sue released the lip lock she had on Tobey, 'I don't care – Tobey! We thought you died – I saw you jump off this cliff."

"Yeah . . . I guess you did see that. I'm so sorry, guess I was really messed up."

"Tobey, what happened?"

"The dragon caught me, and took me out somewhere – and he talked. He made me realize, I don't really want to die - just like you said before, Nana."

Nana and Sid joined in another hug. It lasted a few moments until Tobey said, "I'm a little dizzy guys."

"It's understandable, when was the last time you ate anyway?" Nana asked.

"OH NO! I don't remember, it must have been way too long ago! I may be dying anyway of starvation! The dragon's gonna kill me if he saved me again, and let myself die."

"If you die of starvation the dragon couldn't kill you again, dork."

"You know what I mean."

"It's okay Tobey, we'll go back to Wu's and I'll make you shrimp toast." Sue volunteered

"Would it be okay if we didn't go to Wu's? I'd love some pizza." Tobey lead the way down the hill toward the siblings bikes.

"Fine Tobey, we'll go wherever you want. What are you three going to do without Kong Li around?"

"I'm going to make better grades and maybe even make some friends at school." Sue said.

"I'm gonna make a few friends that will help me form a band, and finally ask Tiffany to be my girlfriend. Ha, Barney will be so jealous."

"Guys, you're forgetting that even now - we still have hundreds of recipes to find. Our job isn't over yet, right Nana?" Tobey was skipping backwards down the hill so he could see the other's following him.

"Yes, we do still need to find all of them, so innocent people don't find them and get hurt."

"Good, we'll get started right after I eat a whole artichoke pizza with ranch dressing!"

"Tobey, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay except for being really embarrassed. I'm so sorry I scared everyone." Tobey stopped walking, and Sue put her arm around him, "From here on, we work as a team, right?"

"Right, and I hope you and I can start being a couple."

"Tobey, are you asking me to go steady?"

"Yeah, would you consider it?"

"I don't need to, I would love to go steady with you."

Sue and Tobey went down the hill the rest of the way hand in hand. Sid pretended to barf every time they looked back. When they got to their bikes, close to a busier road, Nana hailed a taxi and they put them in the trunk.

The three sat in the back, with Sue in the middle. Sue said quietly, "We really are so glad that you're okay Tobey. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Yeah buddy - promise to talk to us, no matter what you're feeling okay?"

"I promise, and besides I have a real dragon watching over me too."

[THE BEGINNING]


End file.
